The present invention relates to a fountain beverage, refreshment, center for use for self-service applications in grocery or convenience stores or the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fountain beverage center or the like wherein a main component of the center is a beverage dispenser cabinet having an external shape and appearance which simulates a serving cup for the beverages to be dispensed therefor.
It is generally known in the dispensing art to provide dispenser housings which are generally shaped to simulate the appearance of a serving cup for a cold beverage such as a soft drink.
It is also known to provide a can vending machine which provides simulated drinking straws as ornamentations for the housings of vending machines in order attract the attention of a customer and draw them to the machine in order to increase sales volume. It is also known in the art to provide vending machines having enlarged primary product selection buttons, as compared to the size of the secondary product selection buttons, on a can vending machine in order to induce higher volumes of sales of primary products than secondary products.
All of the above features are advantageous in increasing the sales of products from vending machines, beverage dispensers, or the like. However, there is still a need in the art for improved self-service fountain beverage centers of grocery, convenience stores or the like, and for highly visible and attractive displays which will increase the sale of impulse purchase items in the store, such as soft drinks and related refreshments.
There is also a need in the art for an improved fountain beverage center for use in convenience stores with a modular assembly which can be customized for the convenience store location in which it is installed.